


Paopu Fruit

by dancingflaaames



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Fluff, Multi, post-kh3, somewhat canon compliant, spoiler free though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 12:59:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17345672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingflaaames/pseuds/dancingflaaames
Summary: Maybe it’s the fact that he’s no longer a vessel of Xehanort. He can feel his heart beating in his chest and the thoughts in his head are his own.





	Paopu Fruit

Things were different. 

That’s the only way Isa could describe it.

The way Lea wraps an arm around his shoulder and nuzzles his hair, presses a kiss to his temple; an old habit of comfort when they were trapped in the basement, awaiting for the next round of torture and experiments. It's _different_ and he can't seem to put a finger on how. Lea is still _Lea_ all limbs and goofy, yet reassuring smiles and the arm around his shoulder feels protective even they both know they're safe.

Isa can’t decipher if it’s different because things have changed between him and Lea or things are different because they're different. Maybe it’s because their once-romantic relationship died the moment Isa lost his heart and became Saix. Or maybe it was because Saix, despite his lack of heart, fell for their superior.

Maybe it happened when Lea was Axel and spending his time with Roxas and Xion, spending their allowances on sea salt ice cream and days off on the beach. 

Maybe it’s the fact that he’s no longer a vessel of Xehanort. He can feel his heart beating in his chest and the thoughts in his head are his own. 

“Do you have living arrangements set up? I can talk to Roxas and Kairi, we have the extra room,” Lea asks him, his thumb rubbing against his shoulder and Isa can feel his heart racing at the simple gesture. It's so simple and gentle, yet, his heart is racing so fast that he's sure it's going to jump right out of his chest. 

He can tell it’s platonic, and it’s new and familiar all at once. 

“That will not be necessary, I will be staying with Terra. He offered his place when we landed in Radiant Garden.” Isa explains when Lea gives him a funny look. 

“It wasn’t always Xemnas, was it?” the redhead asks, emerald green eyes flashing to the tall brunett across the room. Isa fights the sudden urge to scowl when he realizes what Lea means. 

He looks over at Terra, whose animatedly talking to Aqua, Ven and Riku. He licks his lips to wet them before a soft smile forms on his face. 

“No. Perhaps it was more apparent to me, given the time I spent with the superior, but Terra found ways to take control. He liked the companionship, at first it was something to keep him sane while he felt lost, then it turned into an actual development of feelings. Feelings for a nobody, I guess.” Isa explains.

Lea turns when he hears his name being called before turning back around takes a look at Isa, as if seeing him for the first time. Then he pulls him into a hug, and Isa just stands there stunned. 

It takes a moment for him to understand and another few moments before he’s wrapping his arms around Lea’s waist, burying his face into neck and his hands are pressed against his back. Lea smells like cinnamon and vanilla and he can’t think of any other smell that doesn’t perfectly fit his ex-lover. 

“I’m happy that you’re happy,” Lea whispers before pulling away, squeezing his shoulder before he makes his way over to Roxas and Kairi who both have pieces of yellow fruit in their hands.

He watches as they both hand Lea a piece and as he starts to laugh before he pulls them into a group hug.

“Isa?” A voice says from behind him and it’s a voice he’s not quite used to hear in that tone; quiet, uncertain, but also hopeful.

He turns around and Sora’s standing a few feet in front of him, big blue eyes staring at him, cheeks flushed and nerves are written all over his face. 

“Hello Sora,” he greets and Sora gives him a nervous smile. 

“Hey Isa, um, I wanted, to uh, give you this?” he asks holding out a paopu fruit with a piece of it missing. 

Isa takes it and analyzes it before blue-green eyes shift to Sora, who’s standing there a bit embarrassed and a bit amused. 

“Thank you for the fruit?” Isa asks amused and confused as he turns it around in his hand inspecting it and trying to figure out why the keyblade wielder handed him a fruit. 

Sora laughs and the sound warms Isa’s heart, and even that feeling is a foreign one, something that he hadn’t felt since he was a child, running amuck with Lea through Radiant Garden. 

“It’s a paopu fruit. From Destiny Islands,” Sora explains giving Isa an amused smile as Isa raises an eyebrow. “We believe if two people share it, their destinies are intertwined. Bound to each other forever.” Isa just stares at him for a moment. 

Sora laughs and rolls his eyes playfully before taking Isa’s hands and wrapping them around the fruit. “I know you weren’t yourself. I know you were partially Xehanort and not all the things you did were by your own volition. Lea explained some things to me, how you used to be, before this whole mess. So I don’t hold any of that against you.” He explains, looking down at their hands and the fruit they’re holding. 

It takes a few moments before Sora starts to speak again and his voice is quiet, but the emotion is there. 

“What I’m trying to say is, we’re friends now Isa. I already took my piece, so you’re more than welcome to share the rest with whomever you want.” He says before wrapping his arms around Isa’s waist in a hug.

Isa is stunned, standing there before he slowly wraps his arms around Sora’s shoulders and he returns the sentiment. His once empty heart is thudding in his chest and it all feels so different, but also so right. 

“I...heh….Thank you, Sora. For everything.” He says before they pull apart. 

Sora pats his arm gently before heading off to find his friends, leaving Isa there with his thoughts and a paopu fruit.

He breaks off a piece before taking a bite. It’s kind of tart, but has a lingering sweetness, too. He tries to place the taste when he hears someone coming, and he looks over at the approaching figure. 

“Isa.” Terra says, his eyes crinkled at the corners and a warm smile plays on his lips as he casually walks over and wraps his arms around Isa’s waist. 

He can feel the flush on his cheeks, his mind still sorting through Terra’s voice with Xemnas’ and he tenses until beautiful, friendly blue eyes find his. He feels his body physically relax into his boyfriend’s embrace. 

He holds out the fruit to Terra and asks, “Paopu fruit?” with an amused expression playing on his lips.

Terra shrugs then chuckles before he breaks off a piece and bites into it as Isa finishes off the piece he was eating and he can’t help but think it tastes just the tiniest bit sweeter.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you guys enjoyed this. With all the theories about the paopu fruit and who Sora's going to share it with, I decided to do my own take on it. I feel like Sora, regardless of who you are or what you've done to him, he'd consider you a friend, and that's how this came about. 
> 
> This also stemmed into a possible one-shot series following the lives of Terra and Isa and how they learn to live with knowledge of their past, in the present and possible future.
> 
> Hopefully you guys enjoyed this. 
> 
> <33


End file.
